Weekend DIY Project: Wallpaper a Room

Irwin Weiner ASID - We're asked so many do-it-yourself questions, that we thought it would be a good idea to share with readers some of our favorite DIY videos each Friday, in a regular "Weekend DIY Project" feature. To begin the series, let's tackle one of the most popular DIY chores, hanging wallpaper. The first thing to realize is that you need to prep the wall first. I've been involved in some projects where old wall surfaces glaringly show every hole, blemish, and rough spot through beautiful wallpaper. So prep first. If you need to remove old wallpaper (not covered in the following video), look into that, then use this video to guide you through wall prep, measuring your rolls, matching patterns, applying paste, hanging the paper, and so on. 

As we say on Design2Share, "knock yourself out!" and good luck. And if your weekend projects are too much for you and your family to handle gracefully, by all means throw in the towel and call a professional to give you expert help. That's what we're here for.

RECOMMENDED RESOURCES:

Go to This Old House for How to Hang Wallpaper step-by-step advice.

Go to Ferm Living (from the folks who brought us this great DIY video), and check out their home goods ... and their bold Wallpaper collection.

And check out the huge assortment of imaginative designer wallpaper at The Wallpaper Collective.

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Grandin Road's Delightful Obsession with Halloween Decor

Irwin Weiner ASID - I'm told that Halloween is now second only to Christmas as the holiday that homeowners use to redecorate their homes in a holiday theme. And it's fairly evident when you go down the streets of most any town. Front yards are turned into graveyards, wispy ghosts hang from trees, and everything's coming up pumpkins and mums. 

I've made myself perfectly clear about avoiding going overboard with decorating for any holiday. I'm not a big fan of turning your home into a holiday theme park, for heaven's sake - and think of the expense! - but I'm not about to bah-humbug anyone's Halloween and begrudge you the fun of decorating. So, have your splurge, and perhaps go to an online store like Grandin Road, where their Halloween Haven has an amazingly large collection of Halloween decor, collectibles, costumes and accessories, and more. This video will preview some of their many imaginative holiday pieces, like spider web chair wrap (top photo), yard fog machines (second photo, above), and the Martha Stewart Glass Eyeball serving tray (below).

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Fall Food - and Halloween Spider Treats

Irwin Weiner ASID - Happy Halloween, all you gremlins, ghosts, and ghouls out there in the blogosphere! We wanted to give a nod to everyone who's feverishly planning their party costumes (I just dropped a bundle on accessories to go with my 1980s-themed costume - and they're pretty hideous, if I do say so myself).

But "not hideous" is the concept of eating seasonally - eating what's grown locally and deliciously natural to celebrate the season. (No fair splurging on out-of-season food that's been jetted-in from Timbuktu, with a carbon footprint the size of Manhattan.) Carpe Season is a food blog that celebrates seasonal food, like the delicious Corn Chowder with Chilies (see top photo) ... and Minnesota blogger Liz has a way of photographing and writing about favorite recipes that she discovers in cookbooks. Check out her Fall Menus to enjoy some seasonally-appropriate food with a twist - I also loved her My Fall Cooking Playlist (music she likes to play while cooking during this gloriously crisp season) - and enjoy the following video with the Carpe Season duo of Liz and her husband Eric creating some spookily delicious (and totally junk food) Halloween Spider Treats!

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What Makes an Interior Designer Tick?

Irwin Weiner ASID - It's challenging for many homeowners to find the interior designer that's just right for them. Some clients want to be able to manage their own projects, so they're looking for designers who can implement their personal vision and perform good, efficient service. Some clients have no idea what they're looking for, but they yearn for a high-end space that is accomplished by a great designer's vision. 

I really enjoyed this video from Westport, CT interior designer Katy Cleare of Catherine Cleare Interiors. As a personal statement of what she believes and who she is, any client will be able to see in an instant that with Katy, what you see is what you get. You'll be able to determine if Katy is the right professional for your project. If you're looking for a fun, imaginative, and results-oriented process with a roll-up-your-sleeves decorator, this video shows you that Katy might just be right for you. 

I salute any interior designer who runs a blog and shoots video pieces like the following to give clients a great before-we-start-working-together preview. If you're an interior designer, take a page from Katy's video and "put yourself out there." If you're a homeowner looking for an interior designer, choose one that gives you an authentic preview of who they are before you make a decision. 

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